Stake Conference this week

Our zone before our transfers, we said goodbye to our district leader Edler Ruiz, Hermana Moe, and Elder Martinez de Amancae

So no transfers this round, so I got a another month and a half at least in Las Violetas, and I couldn't be more happier. Finally I´m starting to understand a bit more, and remember names and faces of the people here in the ward. I´m finally able to ask questions and understand the stories of each of the members, so I really really don't want to leave just yet. 

Me and Hermana Moe, shes such a great example to me on how I want to be when I have 10 months in the mission!

The stand out of this week was that we had Stake Conference. The session we had Saturday was all about Ward council, who should be attending and what is is we should be talking about and with what papers. One of our recent converts, Jaime, came and sat behind us. Poor guy, he was bored out of his mind. He´s really gung-ho to get a calling though, but he has to wait till he has the  Melchizedek priesthood. He´s almost there and I´m super excited to see and talk with him when he´s finally achieved this important step in his life!

The Sunday session we had one investigator show up. Her name is Reyna and we have been teaching here for a good long while but she just hasn't progressed. She recently found out though that she has the beginning stages of cancer, so after church our zone leaders gave her a blessing of health. I´m hoping that the blessing was maybe the thing that will help Reyna realize that the church is here to help her, and through her obedience she can have those blessings promised to her!

We also door contacted into a wonderful young women named Dalila. We had three fantastic lessons with her, and she accepted the date for the 21st to get baptized. The thing is that she is living with her boyfriend at the moment, but knows that she has to move out to obey the law of chastity. She loves him, but knows that he wont accept her decision to get baptized. Notwithstanding, she is still willing to move out and try and find a job to be able to be baptized and receive the holy ghost. We couldn't be more amazed at her faith and willingness to accept the gospel. We have more appointments with her this week, and do all we can to help her come closer to Christ and accomplish the things she needs to to be able to be baptized this next month. 

That is all this week, know I´m so thankful for this gospel and all those who are supporting me either via mail or email. 

Mucho amor de Hermana Bowers

Me Hermana Cruz and Hermana Rene, our pentionista that helps cooks EVERYDAY for us and lets us use her house some times for p-day

My companion did my hair the morning of our Stake conference. My companion has the strangest and coolest talents.

My companion, who hates spicy (like you mom!) who i got to try a hot Cheetos. She tried one, screamed, and then chugged practically half a carton of yogurt. And even after that she said that the Cheeto was still burning her lips. This was her face afterwards.

P DAY SOCCER

So my new companion is Hermana Osinaga! Shes 19, has 6 months on her mission, and is from Bolivia. She understands English REALLY well and can speak it so so. Its been awesome getting to know her, and she is a really sweet spirit. I´m learning so much and am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be her companion. 

Welcome to Las Violetas Hna Osinaga!!!

So for our p day this week we had a fun activity that was with the WHOLE entire mission! We had a soccer tournament between the missionaries from different countires. The hermanas played just gringas vs latinas though, and WE WON! I played goalie and stood around for most of the time, however it was really fun and it was the only match in which the gringos won. Whoop whoop for us!

This week was a challenge trying to show the area and the investigadores to my new companion. But we had some great experiences knocking doors. We found two different sisters, one 18 and the other 40 something that let us in and we talked. With the 18 year old we returned two days later and gave her a book of mormon. We explained it really briefly and she seemed really excited to read it. she said she loves to read and was looking for a way to get closer to God. Bingo. Another sister we found on accedent. We got an address of a menos activo wrong but after a little convincing she let us and we were able to talk with her. She ended up opening up to us a lot, and well my Spanish wasn't functioning that night so I didn't understand a lot, but she had some problems with either a friend or a niece and we were able to advise and help her. We have a return appointment later this week and we´ll see how it goes!

We have transfers later today, so well see how it goes. I try not to stress too much when they come around becuase there is nothing I can do, and while im 80% sure i wont have a transsfer, there is a slight possibility becuase we have a BOAT load of sisters coming in. There is always that lurking terror as being put as a trainer, but what happens happens I guess. 

That's all for this week, and thank you so much for your love and support!

                                                                THE SOCCER GAME!

 At our big p day I got to see my fellow sisters from the CCM

 Some of us Gringas that won in the soccer game against the Latinas!

The surprisingly nice field we played our world tournament at

Love Hermana Bowers

On the Verge of Change

So where to start.

First off we have a special p-day with all of the mission this upcoming Monday, so were taking our internet time Saturday. 

Well, we got a call around 8:30 am this morning informing my companion that she has an emergency transfer. She has to pack up all her stuff and be ready by 12 today to be driven to her new area, where we still don't know where yet. So this means in the next 3 hours I´ll have a new companion and will have to take charge of all our investigadores and appointments until the new sister gets the hang of things and can help out.

I´m really sad to see Hermana Espinoza go, but I know that the Lord has his hand in all things. I know that we´re suppose to have each and everyone of our companions for a reason, and I´m anxious and excited to be able to get to see and know my new companion for this next long while.

Maria Bastida her son Daniel and her husband Florencio who were trying to work with these past two weeks to be baptized the 24 of this month. (they took us out to La Leña) Well see if he can make his date! But Maria Basitda is just amazing, the incarnation of charity!!! I love her so much!

I forgot the name of this, but a member from Argentina made this for lunch. It was like a spinach and hamburger crepe and we had a huge glass of jello afterwards!

 In the pic are Hermano Rodrigez, the first counselor in our ward and his wife.

So we had our first Multi- zone conference since I´ve been in the field this week and it was really cool! We heard from our president, his wife, and the presidents assistant. One of the talks our president gave was about the keys of missionary work and we studied Alma 17 and 18 pretty intensively. If you´re looking to find some awesome pointers on how to be an awesome missionary take a look at these chapters.

Also this week is of course Mothers day, and boy oh boy does south america celebrate! Well, i haven´t experienced many holidays here in Peru, but mothers day is way much more of a big deal that it is in the USA. There are parades in the street, each school and each grade has a assembly where they sing songs about how they love their mothers, and everyone is bustling around buying and preparing for Sunday. Its like Christmas or valentines day piratically.

Well off to say goodbye to the members that we can find for Hermana Espinoza and time to start a new leg or journey in my mission. Ah my first transfer, my first big change! Wish me luck!!

Love

Hermana Bowers

Also, Hermana Lupe, a member in my ward makes THE BEST HAMBURGERS in THE WORLD. Nothing compares really, and I´m glad that Hermana Espisnoza and I had the chance to eat one together last night before she had to go!

Best four soles you can spend in Peru. Me and my lovely lovely hamburger

      

Lehi's Vision Here In Peru

So the big thing that happened this week was our Stake wide missionary activity! 

We recreated the experience of Lehi's vision with the rod of iron for the people here in independencia! We sectioned off the Stake Center, had blindfolds and a rod in which the people had to follow to either the room of darkness or the celestial room. 

We had people tempting and trying to sway the people as they made there way through this maze of rope. Afterwards, depending on if they let go of the rope at all, there were two different talks in two different rooms. The celestial room had our Stake President who gave a talk about the rod of iron and how we need to endure to the end. It was all in white and we had a white tree with sparkling white christmas oriments that my companion painted.

The other room was all dark, with only a strobe light and creepy haunted house music. In that room was one of our Zone Leaders, Elder Perez, who was dressed in all black he talked to the people who let go of the rod/rope and explained how it was a parable for the way of God in our lives. We had a projector which showed the image of the celestial room and showed the people what they could have had. he admonished them to not make the same mistakes in life or he'd been seeing them again soon ha ha ha. Afterwards people were given a ticket and with the ticket they could get food to eat and mingle with others. 

It was a little stressful in the beginning because we did not know quite how everything was going to work, but it turned out to be a roaring success and the members are still talking about it. We had some of our investigadores come as well and they made it to the celesital room! My companion and I were stoked and glad they understood the activity and had a good time. 

Other than that, our week was pretty normal. We did divisiones, or I think the English term is splits, and I was basically cut loose with a youth for a companion. It was interesting and showed me that I have still a lot to learn before I can be the senior companion!

Also I taught the gospel principles class for the first time this Sunday, and my companion and Ward Mission Leader said it went good! So good in fact that my Ward Mission leader wants me to teach indefinitely from now on. He says it will help me learn Spanish a lot faster. Its kinda daunting to think about, but I trust my Ward Mission Leader and yea we'll see how it goes!

We have our first multi zone meeting this Thursday and of course Mothers day this weekend. I'm stoked out of my mind and can't wait to be able to talk to with my family! Remeber families are forever folks! 

Thank you for all your love and support everyone, it means a lot :)

Love

Hermana bowers